Fae anxiously glanced at her virtual watch, waiting for any updates about Kenneth from Fletcher. The silence was deafening, and all she could do was hope Kenneth was holding up and not overexerting herself.
Beside her, Durian couldn't suppress an annoyed groan as he watched Fae pull out her watch for the fifth time that day. Each time, her anxious expression made him wonder what was troubling her. Though he knew it wasn't his business, he couldn't ignore it any longer when she checked again just five minutes after the last time.
"What's wrong with you?" he blurted out.
Fae looked up, startled by his sudden outburst, earning a glare from their instructor. Realizing she'd been caught, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Durian, who had intended to scold her, found it difficult to do so. He sighed, resigned, as he realized he could never stay angry at her with those big doe eyes staring up at him in confusion.
"What's bothering you?" he asked softly this time.
"Oh, it's nothing," she replied, fidgeting with her hands.
Durian's brow furrowed deeper. He could tell it was more than just "nothing," and despite not knowing why, he hated seeing her distressed.
"Look, whatever it is, you can tell me. Aren't we supposed to be... partners or something?" He cleared his throat on the last part, glancing away, embarrassed.
Fae's eyebrows shot up in surprise. She hadn't expected him to say that. Her expression softened as she noticed the faint blush on his ears. She stifled a giggle before explaining.
"It's really nothing. I was just hoping to hear some news about Kenneth."
At the mention of Kenneth's name, Durian turned back to her, a mix of annoyance and curiosity in his eyes.
"She's supposed to start the first day of screening for the Isosceles Trials today, and I haven't heard anything yet."
"Oh, right. I can't believe she actually got in," he scoffed, recalling the day the results were posted.
Instructor Alexi had announced that the top scorer would earn a chance to participate in the Trials if they passed the screenings—a new rule no one had anticipated. Everyone was upset, but Durian was the most frustrated.
He felt robbed of his own chance to participate, and despite Kenneth's proven abilities, he still believed she didn't deserve it. If anyone should represent the school, it should be him. Especially since she wasn't even a Fera while he was.
If he had known what was at stake, he would have tried harder. It felt unfair for the instructors to withhold that information, but a small part of him understood why. Without knowledge of the reward, they could see how students really fought.
Seeing the turmoil on Durian's face made Fae worry she shouldn't have shared her concerns after all.
But then Durian's expression softened as he met her gaze, reassuring her that her worries were unfounded. Even though it pained him to admit it, he knew Kenneth was strong. He wasn't a fool; he had witnessed her skills firsthand.
"She'll be fine. The results from the first day should come in soon," he said.
Fae smiled gratefully, a warmth spreading in Durian's chest.
Just then, her watch buzzed with a notification. Fae quickly opened it to read the message from Fletcher.
*
It was finally time for the third round, and the tension in the room was at an all-time high. The students surrounded one another, guards up, carefully scanning their surroundings.
Kenneth stood among the remaining competitors, realizing that only thirty of them were left—a stark reminder of how many had been eliminated since the start. The screening had been grueling, each round testing not only their skills but also their stamina and patience.
Around her, her fellow participants panted, casting wary glances at one another, acutely aware that only twenty of them would make it through today, which added on to the pressure.
This wouldn't be the first time Kenneth had to fight so many people at the same time since this was common during her training days.
There were many occasions where a soldier would find themselves having to fight multiple enemies at the same time so it was important for them to learn how to defeat many people at once. Thirty people were now brought together in the middle of a battlefield each eyeing each other with wary eyes as they prepared to face each other.
The rules were simple. They needed to take out as many people as they could before the buzzer went off. No physical weapons allowed, only their legs and fists.
As soon as the fight started, Kenneth could see from the corner of her eye a boy knocking out a girl with just one hook to the face as he proceeded to fight another boy who was close to him. The boy didn't hesitate to use quick and effective moves to incapacitate his opponents. As Kenneth observed the boy with keen eyes, a girl attempted to swing at her while her attention was somewhere else.
Kenneth swiftly dodged the attack as she turned to her side, gazing at the person who had just attacked her.
The young woman was roughly a head taller than her with long black braids and a provocative smile on her face.
"You really shouldn't be getting distracted right now sweetie." She said with a large grin on her face.
She didn't waste another second as she swung her legs in an attempt to push Kenneth off. Luckily, Kenneth had always been on guard and had fast reflexes so she dodged the attack one again while preparing for an attack of her own.
The young girl was strong and she was clearly well versed in fighting. She blocked Kenneth's attacks and the two went on the exchange some blows.
"So it really wasn't a fluke, you really can fight." The girl said as she hit Kenneth on her sides causing her to stumble a little.
Kenneth's eyes widened in disbelief as she realized one of her strikes had actually connected with her. Glancing at her opponent, it hit her that she had underestimated the girl; she couldn't afford to take it easy anymore. Kenneth knew she had to finish this fight quickly to conserve her energy for a potential next round.
Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she resolved to use a fast and effective martial art to subdue her opponent.
As Kenneth stood there, she could hear the rest of the participants engaged in battle, each fighting hard to secure a place for the next round, but her focus remained sharp as she regarded the young woman in front of her, noting the way she looked at her with caution. Kenneth felt a surge of adrenaline as she lunged forward, executing a series of jabs, each one getting progressively stronger.
As Kenneth fought her, she started analyzing her opponent's movements, searching for weaknesses. The girl was quick on her feet and showed tremendous speed as she swung her arm, ready to lay a strong blow that really could've incapacitated her. Kenneth quickly sidestepped, using the opponent's momentum against them to deliver a sharp elbow to their ribs.
The girl grunted but quickly recovered, retaliating with a series of quick jabs. Kenneth danced backward, blocking and weaving, feeling the rhythm of the fight pulse around her. She knew she had to stay light on her feet and wait for the right moment to strike.
Seeing an opening, Kenneth feigned a right hook, drawing her opponent's guard up. In that split second, she pivoted and unleashed a powerful kick aimed at the challenger's midsection.
The kick connected solidly, sending her opponent crashing to the ground.
But the girl was not finished. With a fierce look in her eyes, she pushed off the ground, launching a counterattack. Kenneth braced herself, absorbing the impact as they collided. She quickly regained her footing, focusing on her breathing, channeling all her energy into one decisive move.
As the challenger advanced again, Kenneth summoned her strength and executed a spinning kick, catching her opponent off-guard. The impact sent them sprawling once more. Kenneth stepped forward, ready to capitalize on the moment, and brought her opponent down with a swift takedown maneuver.
The girl landed on the ground, unable to stand up. Kenneth didn't have time to relish on her victory as another opponent, a young man this time swung on her with lightning speed. She sidestepped the attack once again, hit him on the sides with the back of her hand before hitting him with a backing that had enough power to send him flying.
She continued like this and the entire time, she kept wishing for the buzzer to go off.
Kenneth's body was aching all over, and she had to resist the urge of stopping everything and running away. There was no way her body could keep this up.
"I give it thirty seconds tops." She thought to herself.
As she looked around the ring, she could see a few bodies later on the floor, passed out, and a few still conscious but unable to get back up. As she watched the other fights take place, her eyes caught sight of a girl with blue hair and she remembered the girl who interrupted her meditation earlier.
Alicia was her name, she fought very well, dodging her opponents easily and weaving through attacks like they were nothing. But what made her even more intriguing was the fact that she fought without using her hands . All her attacks utilized her legs which Kenneth found fascinating.
As she watched on, she saw from the corner of her eye someone coming her way. She let out a sigh as she prepared herself for another attack, but before the person could reach her, the buzzer went off, indicating the end of the brawl.